SMOTY Ale Recipe Questions

[DeviantLogic]

I'm considering brewing the Coopers SMOTY ale recipe, and I have a few questions relating to the recipe.

1. Has anyone brewed this recipe? If so, how did it turn out?

2. Can anyone recommend a good yeast to use with this recipe/beer style? Using the kit yeasts seems a bit boring, so I'm looking to make things more interesting.

3. Could this recipe benefit from additional fermentables? It's quite a hoppy beer on paper, and I was thinking a bit more maltiness and alcohol might balance out the hops a little. I'm not sure exactly what style the SMOTY ale is supposed to be. But, according to the Ian H spreadsheet, the addition of 1kg LDM to the recipe is enough to make it conform to the English strong ale guidelines.

4. With respect to the dry hopping instructions, I'm not quite sure what is meant by "a mesh cleaning cloth, pulled straight from the wrapper". Could anyone shed some light on this? Suggesting a suitable alternative would also be good.

Any input would be greatly appreciated! 

[Aussiekraut]

6 hours ago, DeviantLogic said:

I'm considering brewing the Coopers SMOTY ale recipe, and I have a few questions relating to the recipe.

1. Has anyone brewed this recipe? If so, how did it turn out?

2. Can anyone recommend a good yeast to use with this recipe/beer style? Using the kit yeasts seems a bit boring, so I'm looking to make things more interesting.

3. Could this recipe benefit from additional fermentables? It's quite a hoppy beer on paper, and I was thinking a bit more maltiness and alcohol might balance out the hops a little. I'm not sure exactly what style the SMOTY ale is supposed to be. But, according to the Ian H spreadsheet, the addition of 1kg LDM to the recipe is enough to make it conform to the English strong ale guidelines.

4. With respect to the dry hopping instructions, I'm not quite sure what is meant by "a mesh cleaning cloth, pulled straight from the wrapper". Could anyone shed some light on this? Suggesting a suitable alternative would also be good.

Any input would be greatly appreciated! 

1. No, sorry, can't help you there

2. I'd say Nottingham is always a good yeast for ales.

3. Any recipe can be improved in one way or another but I'd recommend you brew as per recipe, so you can establish a "baseline" and then see in which direction you'd like to take it.

4. They're talking about a Chux or similar cloth. You know those cheese cloth things you buy in the cleaning isle in the supermarket. Usually blue and white.

[ozdevil]

7 hours ago, DeviantLogic said:

I'm considering brewing the Coopers SMOTY ale recipe, and I have a few questions relating to the recipe.

1. Has anyone brewed this recipe? If so, how did it turn out?

2. Can anyone recommend a good yeast to use with this recipe/beer style? Using the kit yeasts seems a bit boring, so I'm looking to make things more interesting.

3. Could this recipe benefit from additional fermentables? It's quite a hoppy beer on paper, and I was thinking a bit more maltiness and alcohol might balance out the hops a little. I'm not sure exactly what style the SMOTY ale is supposed to be. But, according to the Ian H spreadsheet, the addition of 1kg LDM to the recipe is enough to make it conform to the English strong ale guidelines.

4. With respect to the dry hopping instructions, I'm not quite sure what is meant by "a mesh cleaning cloth, pulled straight from the wrapper". Could anyone shed some light on this? Suggesting a suitable alternative would also be good.

Any input would be greatly appreciated! 

1 havent brewed this recipe  so can't help you there

2 Like Aussiekruat mention a nottingham Ale yeast   or if yo want to  go into a liquid yeast try a london 111 yeast(1318)

3 I would do the  recipe 1st  so you know whether you like it  and  gives you the base to to improve on next time you wis to brew it

4  cloth a cheese cloth (chux)  or you could purchase some hop socks  or be brave just  chuck them straight in, if you cold crash they will fall out to the bottom

 

[Shamus O'Sean]

7 hours ago, DeviantLogic said:

1. Has anyone brewed this recipe? If so, how did it turn out?

I did this one in 2019.  I liked it.  I recall it had a brown ale flavour to it.  I used my own home-grown Goldings hops, so that was a bit novel.  I also did it with Nottingham yeast.

[DeviantLogic]

Thanks for the help all! Nottingham yeast and the original recipe it is.

Shamus, we seem to have similar taste. This will be my third straight brew making a recipe you have done before me.

[Malter White]

8 hours ago, DeviantLogic said:

Shamus, we seem to have similar taste. This will be my third straight brew making a recipe you have done before me.

After following this forum for a couple of years, it appears Shamus has made almost every beer ever invented. I want to know if he still has the liver he was born with or he's received a transplant.  

[Stickers]

On 2/8/2021 at 1:07 AM, DeviantLogic said:

I'm considering brewing the Coopers SMOTY ale recipe, and I have a few questions relating to the recipe.

1. Has anyone brewed this recipe? If so, how did it turn out?

2. Can anyone recommend a good yeast to use with this recipe/beer style? Using the kit yeasts seems a bit boring, so I'm looking to make things more interesting.

3. Could this recipe benefit from additional fermentables? It's quite a hoppy beer on paper, and I was thinking a bit more maltiness and alcohol might balance out the hops a little. I'm not sure exactly what style the SMOTY ale is supposed to be. But, according to the Ian H spreadsheet, the addition of 1kg LDM to the recipe is enough to make it conform to the English strong ale guidelines.

4. With respect to the dry hopping instructions, I'm not quite sure what is meant by "a mesh cleaning cloth, pulled straight from the wrapper". Could anyone shed some light on this? Suggesting a suitable alternative would also be good.

Any input would be greatly appreciated! 

I just bottled a batch on sunday, 2nd go at it (but the first time with hops). i personally suggest just using both packs of yeasts that come with the can, it finishes in 5-6 days and you can hold onto the notty for another batch. i remember it being a very tasty drop too, it's pretty much a ready to go black and tan but isn't as thick.

this batch i'm saving the majority of to drink in june (the Shortest Month Of The Year in terms of daylight). i started a thread in the recipe resource section, too

 

[DeviantLogic]

On 2/10/2021 at 5:03 PM, Stickers said:

I just bottled a batch on sunday, 2nd go at it (but the first time with hops). i personally suggest just using both packs of yeasts that come with the can, it finishes in 5-6 days and you can hold onto the notty for another batch. i remember it being a very tasty drop too, it's pretty much a ready to go black and tan but isn't as thick.

this batch i'm saving the majority of to drink in june (the Shortest Month Of The Year in terms of daylight). i started a thread in the recipe resource section, too

 

A ready to go black and tan sounds great to me! Looks like I am going to have to follow your suggestion as my local brew shop doesn't carry Nottingham.  The guy in the shop suggested I use Safale S-04 instead, but I recall reading that some people have issues with it stalling so I decided to run with the yeast from the tins. 

[Graculus]

On 2/11/2021 at 8:57 PM, DeviantLogic said:

A ready to go black and tan sounds great to me! Looks like I am going to have to follow your suggestion as my local brew shop doesn't carry Nottingham.  The guy in the shop suggested I use Safale S-04 instead, but I recall reading that some people have issues with it stalling so I decided to run with the yeast from the tins. 

This was going to be my next beer. But it depends if the hops turn up in time.

I too was wondering what yeast to use.

I have some S-04 yeast in the fridge that I recently used on a Muntons Yorkshire Bitter.

I've never had the 04 yeast stall, but I find it will finish a point or two higher than the Coopers kit yeast, but I'm not particularly worried about that.

So 04 or the two kit yeasts?

 

[Stickers]

5 hours ago, Graculus said:

So 04 or the two kit yeasts?

using the two kit yeasts will see your brew pretty much done within a week

[DeviantLogic]

On 6/2/2021 at 10:20 AM, Graculus said:

This was going to be my next beer. But it depends if the hops turn up in time.

I too was wondering what yeast to use.

I have some S-04 yeast in the fridge that I recently used on a Muntons Yorkshire Bitter.

I've never had the 04 yeast stall, but I find it will finish a point or two higher than the Coopers kit yeast, but I'm not particularly worried about that.

So 04 or the two kit yeasts?

 

I used the kit yeasts and was very happy with the result. This remains one of my favourite recipes I have done. A point in favour of the kit yeast is, I believe, there is some lager yeast included. As someone who does not temperature control my bottles, I have noticed recipes with kit yeast have been conditioning quicker than batches made with Nottingham or US-05 during the colder months.

[Graculus]

On 6/2/2021 at 4:00 PM, Stickers said:

using the two kit yeasts will see your brew pretty much done within a week

Thanks. Yes the Coopers kit yeast is a bit of a beast and I've never had an issue with it.
I'm not really concerned how quick it brews to be honest.
I tend to leave the beer in the FV for a couple of weeks anyhow.

On 6/3/2021 at 8:03 PM, DeviantLogic said:

I used the kit yeasts and was very happy with the result. This remains one of my favourite recipes I have done. A point in favour of the kit yeast is, I believe, there is some lager yeast included. As someone who does not temperature control my bottles, I have noticed recipes with kit yeast have been conditioning quicker than batches made with Nottingham or US-05 during the colder months.

I've got two fridges and I tend to brew in one & let the bottles carbonate in the other now.
I never used to but last summer was brutal & I think one brew got an off / skunky flavour from the heat.
So now it's either too hot or too cold. And the fluctuation in temperature during the day.
So I just use the two fridges.

Anyway I now have the kits, the hops arrived and the 04 yeast in the fridge.
The only thing that's stopping me is enthusiasm today. I've just worked six days and I'm not sure I can be bothered.
I've a bit of time off in the week, so maybe tomorrow.

Still have decided on the yeast. I'm siding on the using the 04.
I might put a starter on today and see if the yeast gets going. If not it'll be kit yeast.

[DeviantLogic]

On 6/6/2021 at 9:22 AM, Graculus said:

Thanks. Yes the Coopers kit yeast is a bit of a beast and I've never had an issue with it.
I'm not really concerned how quick it brews to be honest.
I tend to leave the beer in the FV for a couple of weeks anyhow.

I've got two fridges and I tend to brew in one & let the bottles carbonate in the other now.
I never used to but last summer was brutal & I think one brew got an off / skunky flavour from the heat.
So now it's either too hot or too cold. And the fluctuation in temperature during the day.
So I just use the two fridges.

Anyway I now have the kits, the hops arrived and the 04 yeast in the fridge.
The only thing that's stopping me is enthusiasm today. I've just worked six days and I'm not sure I can be bothered.
I've a bit of time off in the week, so maybe tomorrow.

Still have decided on the yeast. I'm siding on the using the 04.
I might put a starter on today and see if the yeast gets going. If not it'll be kit yeast.

Given that you have the second fridge, there probably isn't much in favour of going with the kit. The 04 will probably be a more interesting beer than just using kit yeast. Let us know which way you end up going with it.

Edited June 7, 2021 by DeviantLogic

[Graculus]

15 hours ago, DeviantLogic said:

Given that you have the second fridge, there probably isn't much in favour of going with the kit. The 04 will probably be a more interesting beer than just using kit yeast. Let us know which way you end up going with it.

In the FV now. I got my act together on Sunday afternoon and bottled the lager I had brewing.

Then today I put the SMOTY on. I used the 04 I had in the fridge.

[DeviantLogic]

11 hours ago, Graculus said:

In the FV now. I got my act together on Sunday afternoon and bottled the lager I had brewing.

Then today I put the SMOTY on. I used the 04 I had in the fridge.

Nice one! I'll be interested to hear how it turns out with the 04.

[Pickaxe]

Long time reader of the community pages, first time

Ive decided to give SMOTY a crack. I enjoy a dark ale almost anytime of year and find the Coopers Dark Ale a little on the light side.  I reckon Im attracted by the amount of hops used in this one.

Like a few of the earlier respondents Im thinking of adding extra fermentables, in particular Coopers Brew Enhancer #3. I dont drive after drinking and so the extra "kick" to the ABV isnt an issue, in fact its the "kick" I crave!

If anyone has tried adding extra fermentables to this recipe I would be keen to hear what was used and the outcome.

Looking forward to hearing, but for now, Cheers.

[Graculus]

this is on my to do list again, so that it's ready for the winter.

I'm just going to go by the recipe this time.

Although just thinking about when I brew toucan stouts I reckon you could add a kilo of something. BE 3 would be OK I would have thought.

Damn, now I'm going to have to brew two batches. One as recipe and one stronger with a kilo of extras.

[Pickaxe]

Many thanks for the reply.

I read on these community pages at one time, (and my apologies for not remembering to whom to assign the quote too), when someone asked whether or not to add this or that to their brew.  The astute contributor simply replied, "Bung it all in!"

I have decided to make that my mantra and whenever my gut suggests an addition of one type or another, Im just gunna "bung it all in".

So now that Ive cracked the seal, so to speak, on these community pages, I look forward to sharing my successes and not so successful brewing experiments, with the Coopers brewing crew.

Cheers